First Look: Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss

The Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss can accelerate to 62 mph in 3.5 sec. It's capable of 217 mph. So what, you say. Those numbers have become standard supercar fare. The Ferrari Enzo can touch 225 mph. The Corvette ZR1 barrels to 60 mph in 3.3 sec. Ah, but here's the twist -- this SLR does its thing without roof, windows, and windshield.Envision the wind buffeting you mercilessly at 150 mph or how a bug or rock would feel hitting you at that speed. That's the SLR Stirling Moss sensation. It's a car created as a tribute to the man crazy enough to drive a Formula 1-based car 1000 miles flat out at an average speed of nearly 100 mph -- all with little more than an open-face helmet and goggles protecting him from the violently onrushing air and debris.For those uneducated in motorsport heroes of yesteryear, Moss is a bona-fide racing legend. Versatile as he was fast, he competed in both Le Mans and Formula 1 with much success. Later, he became known as "the greatest driver never to win the World Championship." Moss' most prolific victory among the many he scored behind the wheel of a Mercedes came in the aforementioned endurance race: the 1955 Mille Miglia. There he piloted a Mercedes Benz 300SLR bearing the number 722, and covered 1000 miles in 10 hours/seven minutes/48 seconds.

That's why this windshield-free SLR bears the Stirling Moss name.Mercedes already celebrated Moss' victory two years ago with another Mercedes McLaren special edition called the SLR722, a car that received a modest power upgrade, badges, and shiny new wheels over the base SLR. The Stirling Moss goes much further. Besides eliminating the glass and roof (there are a couple of tiny wind deflectors), Mercedes made dramatic changes to the bodywork, which is done entirely in carbon fiber like the SLR roadster. Gone are the vents aft of the front wheels, in their place are dual exhaust pipes that exit straight through the bodywork, as they did in the 300. The side skirts have been raised, the doors trimmed, and the nose sharpened -- Silver Arrow style. The headlights are a nod to the Mille Miglia winner, as are the air scoops behind the driver and passenger. Okay, the 300 just had one scoop, but we'll ignore this historical faux pas in the name of safety as the scoops double as rollbars.

it's nice... but... come on now. i see benz and then i think of chrysler and the sebring and avenger and how all the creases are the same along the door panels and the hood lines. get a bimmer or something if you want to spend a ton of money and something that actually has individual styling.

Bos Pen -- in response to your comment, if MT were to halt any articles pertaining to cars that the vast majority of it readers cannot afford then MT would be a pretty boring site wouldn't it? MT would only be cluttered with endless articles on economy cars such as the civic, corolla, aveo, focus, mazda 3, etc. Though the all of those cars are great cars, they're nothing to get really excited about. Surely, most of MT's readers cannot afford the high end benzes, porsches, the chevy ZR1, ferraris (and other italians), and others of the like.....however, those cars are what makes this site really interesting. For those that might not be able to drive it as an owner, the possibility of knowing first hand, or second hand rather, of what the car is capable of and looks like is exciting isn't it?

I'm just kinda wondering my MT wastes time writing an article on a car that the vast majority of us cannot afford? And, furthermore, if you could afford this car, who would put that much money into a disposable item?

This car is amazing. This car literally takes "practicality" by the hand and slaps it right in the face. Oh side note....one of the posts on WOT has a brief video of the original in action on youtube....along with other historical benz vids. Who knew that everything we know about cars....benz did it first[according to a promotional vid for MB].

article qoute"how a bug or rock would feel hitting you at that speed" these guys must have to wear bulletproof headgear to stop kamikaze misuitoes and stray bullet-like pebbles. and driving without a helment is out of the question. its kind of funny